Risk Reduction

In 1992, the California legislature added a risk reduction component, the Facility Air Toxic Contaminant Risk Audit and Reduction Plan (or SB 1731), which required the District to specify a significant risk level, above which risk reduction would be required.  In Rule 1402, the District Board establishes action risk levels as follows:

• Cancer risk > 25 in one million
• Cancer Burden > 0.5
• Hazard Index > 3.0

Facilities above the action risk level must reduce their risks below the action risk levels as complying schedules specified below:

• 180 days to submit a Risk Reduction Plan
• 3 months for the District to approve the Plan
• 3 years to implement the Plan

For more information about the following:

• Risk Audit and Reduction Plan
• AQMD Rule 1402 (~50 kb*)
• Facilities required by Rule 1402 to reduce risks (~29 kb*)
• Outline for preparing risk reduction plans

A risk reduction plan must include the following:

(A)     The name, address, SCAQMD identification number and SIC code of the facility;

(B)     A facility risk characterization which includes an updated air toxics emission inventory and health risk assessment, if the risk due to total facility emissions has increased above or decreased below the levels indicated in the previously approved health risk assessment;

(C)     Identification of each source from which risk needs to be reduced in order to achieve a risk below the  action risk level.

(D)     For each source identified in paragraph (C) above, an evaluation of the risk reduction measures available to the operator, including emission and risk reduction potential, estimated costs, and time necessary for implementation;

(E)     Specification of the risk reduction measures that will be implemented by the operator to comply with the risk reduction requirements to achieve the action risk level or the lowest achievable level;

(F)      A schedule for implementing the specified risk reduction measures as quickly as feasible.  The schedule should include the submittal of all necessary applications for permits to construct or modify within 180 days of approval of the plan, or in accordance with another schedule subject to approval of the District, and specify the dates for other increments of progress associated with implementation of the risk reduction measures;

(G)     If requesting a time extension, information required to demonstrate that the request meets the required criteria specified under Rule 1402 paragraph (e)(2) and the length of time up to two years requested;

(H)     An estimation of the residual health risk after implementation of the specified risk reduction measures;

(I)      Proof of certification of the risk reduction plan as meeting all requirements by an individual who is officially responsible for the processes and operations of the facility.